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Wakefern Food Corp. announced today that on behalf of its ShopRite and PriceRite stores, it will donate up to $1 million in both funds and in-kind donations to assist in the relief efforts for those struggling in the wake of super storm Sandy.

Keasbey, NJ (PRWEB)November 07, 2012

The company’s support will focus on regional food banks in the areas its stores serve throughout the Northeast who are providing meals and other assistance to those who have been displaced from their homes.

“The areas hardest hit by the storm are at the center of where our stores are located and our associates live. Many of those devastated by Sandy are our friends and neighbors. Reaching out and providing meals and other supplies remains our primary focus and effort in the days following the storm," said Joseph Colalillo, chairman and CEO of Wakefern Food Corp. "To that end, Wakefern has committed $1 million in funds and in-kind donations to help aid in post-storm relief and recovery."

In the hours following the storm, individual stores began addressing the needs of their communities, donating food, water and ice to local charities and government agencies. As relief efforts progressed, truckloads of food, water and prepared meals have been dispatched from Wakefern’s warehouses to regional food banks that are on the front line of relief efforts. “In difficult times like these, we often find that the greatest need emerges in the weeks and months following a devastating event,” said Joe Sheridan, president and COO, Wakefern Food Corp. “As our communities begin to recover from the impact of this storm, we will work to ensure that our support reaches our neighbors who have been most severely impacted.”

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About Wakefern Food Corp.
From a small, struggling cooperative with eight members – all owners of their own grocery stores – Wakefern Food Corp. has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. Founded in 1946, the cooperative is comprised of 48 members who today individually own and operate nearly 250 supermarkets under the ShopRite banner in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. In 1996, Wakefern introduced PriceRite stores, extending the company’s reach into Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Today, there are 50 PriceRite stores in six states. As the merchandising and distribution arm of both ShopRite and PriceRite, Wakefern, together with its member companies, employ more than 50,000 people; making it one of the largest employers in New Jersey. In addition, Wakefern also distributes products to other supermarkets throughout the northeastern United States and Bermuda. Wakefern was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in NJ by NJBIZ Magazine. In 2011, Supermarket News gave Wakefern its Retail Excellence Award and The Griffin Report named Wakefern its Retailer of the Year. For more information, please visit http://www.Wakefern.com.